European Union Sues Germany in Dispute Over Parmesan Makers

Bloomberg ^ | 07/09/04 | Bloomberg

[Pikamax]

European Union Sues Germany in Dispute Over Parmesan Makers July 9 (Bloomberg) -- The European Commission filed a lawsuit against Germany at Europe's highest court for failing to crack down on producers of knock-off Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan, like France's Champagne and Medoc wines, is a protected name under European Union rules. To be called Parmesan, or Parmigiano Reggiano in Italian, the cheese must be made in a defined region in Northern Italy. Each producer is certified. Translations of the cheese's name are also protected.

``Germany does not give full protection to this protected designation of origin,'' the Brussels-based commission said in a statement. ``Member states are required to protect registered names against any misuse, imitation or evocation.''

Germany, Europe's leading producer after Italy, doesn't recognize these rules, saying that Parmesan is a generic word and that anyone can make the hard, crumbly cheese. Parmesan producers in Italy complained, saying the fake products reduce sales and threaten their livelihoods.

Germany will have to conform to the EU rules if the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg decides in favor of the commission, the EU's executive arm.

Failure to act could lead to fines, though in almost all cases governments have changed their laws before a fine is imposed. The most recent levy was in November 2003 when Spain was fined 624,150 euros ($773,000) a year for every 1 percent of recreational swimming waters that failed to comply with EU bathing water protection rules.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Oh good God.

And this is weird - NATIONS suing NATIONS about products? What a bunch of fascist-communists.

[Red Badger]

It ain't easy being cheesey........

[tjwmason]

And this is weird - NATIONS suing NATIONS about products? What a bunch of fascist-communists.

In one sense it's about consumers being given correct information. If I see a bottle on a shelf with the word 'Champagne' on it, I know that it is champagne, not sparkling wine produced elsewhere, or according to other methods, and can therefore make an informed decision.

That said....the E.U. is famous for taking this to utterly ridiculous extremes. There was the recent case of parma ham:

Parma ham has to come from the region of Parma (sensibly enough), however, not only does the ham have to come from there, but it also has to be processed there. If I buy ham from Parma, and slice it in England, it ceases to be parma ham. This means that if a delicatessan buys whole legs of ham and hangs them in his shop, he can sell them as parma ham (including sliceing parts off to sell); if he slices them in the backroom, then he cannot.

[Red Badger]

We have a similar situation in the US with Vidalia Onions....

[the OlLine Rebel]

But what about all the cheap Kraft Parmasean and such? Surely it isn't all made in Italy. I'm sure we have plenty cows in WI to take care of our own cheesy stuff! I guess the EU can't sue "outsiders"?

It's just stupid. If the intention is the same, it shouldn't matter. Tough luck to those who invented it but weren't good enough to INNOVATE it!

[pageonetoo]

I boought some prosciutto the other day, and looked at the label...Product of Germany!

[reg45]

NATIONS suing NATIONS about products?

Almost funny enough to be a movie:

[NCjim]

If I see a bottle on a shelf with the word 'Champagne' on it, I know that it is champagne, not sparkling wine produced elsewhere, or according to other methods, and can therefore make an informed decision.

I take it that you have not sampled Ernest & Julio Gallo Champagne?

[the OlLine Rebel]

I wasn't sure so I wasn't going to say anything.....so I stuck to Parmasean....

[sawmill trash]

The most recent levy was in November 2003 when Spain was fined 624,150 euros ($773,000) a year for every 1 percent of recreational swimming waters that failed to comply with EU bathing water protection rules.

THIS is the kind of libero crap that the folks pushing the UN want to get us under.
Sheesh !!!

[the OlLine Rebel]

Was there a pix we were supposed to see?

[tjwmason]

I take it that you have not sampled Ernest & Julio Gallo Champagne?

I take it that this is retailed outside the E.U. Within the E.U. it would be illegal to market it as such.

Sparkling white wine produced using the same method as champagne is called 'champagnoise', or sometimes 'method traditionelle'. Champagne is a description of wine produced in a particular manner, in a particular place. Just as one could not produce 'Cotes du Rhone' away from the river Rhone, one cannot produce champagne outside the Champagne region.

[reg45]

Yes, but it only seemed to work locally. Let's try again: NATIONS suing NATIONS about products?

Almost funny enough to be a movie: